Prō'to-mār'tyr, n.

(-mār'tur), n. [Fr. protomartyr, Pr. protomartre, Sp. protomartir, It. protomartire, Gr. πρωτόμαρτυρ, from πρῶτος, first, and μάρτυρ, martyr.]

1. The first martyr;—a term applied to Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
2. The first who suffers, or is sacrificed, in any cause. “The protomartyr of our cause.” Tennyson.